In his response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address that focused heavily on "inequality," Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) slammed Obamacare as "an inequality Godzilla," symbolizing an administration that has favored Washington, D.C. while purporting to fight for America's middle class.

In an address sponsored by the Tea Party Express on Tuesday, Lee spoke for "those individuals and families who work hard, play by the rules, balance their budgets, honor the Golden Rule, and dont understand why their government in Washington cant do the same." He said these Americans "may feel they have been forgotten by both political parties."

"Today, Americans know in their hearts that something is wrong," he said. "Much of what is wrong relates to the sense that the 'American Dream' is falling out of reach for far too many of us. We are facing an inequality crisisone to which the President has paid lip-service, but seems uninterested in truly confronting or correcting."

Lee said this "inequality crisis presents itself in three principal forms," and Republicans in Washington's permanent political class can be just as out of touch as Democrats:

Immobility among the poor, who are being trapped in poverty by big-government programs; insecurity in the middle class, where families are struggling just to get by and cant seem to get ahead; and cronyist privilege at the top, where political and economic insiders twist the immense power of the federal government to profit at the expense of everyone else.

"The founders made a point at Boston Harbor, but they made history in Philadelphias Independence Hall," Lee said. "As Americans we must always be willing to fight the Boston-type battlesboldly calling out bad policy whenever we see itbut we must do so with an eye toward Philadelphia, maintaining a positive focus on the kind of nation we want to be and become."

Amen, bro.

I tip my hat to a new ConstitutionTake a bow toward a new revolutionSmile and grin at the change all aroundPick up my guitar and playJust like yesterdayThen I'll get on my knees and prayyyyyyyyyyEverybody!

6
posted on 01/29/2014 7:26:56 AM PST
by Texas Eagle
(If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)

"Why didn't the Republicans have Mike Lee give the response instead of that Amway saleswoman? How boring was that? Nothing against Amway."

That's the way they operate. "Bland is good" (and hey, who can argue with their track record: Presidents Bob Dole, McCain, Romney?...). They become so terrified of making a "gaffe" (or a supposed gaffe) that they don't say much of anything- and of course, because it's so boring, nobody remembers what they said afterwards.

8
posted on 01/29/2014 7:36:31 AM PST
by Qbert
("The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry" - William F. Buckley, Jr.)

My suggestion to Mike Lee & other Conservatives who understand the folly of such an increase in the minimum wage:

First, going from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour is an increase of $2.85 and 39.31 in percentage. That is MASSIVE.

Let’s do more math on this topic:

Let’s set up an example-—with a middle class business owner who has a fairly large warehouse and low income set of jobs for the staff he needs.

Let’s say he has 12 employees who now ONLY work 30 hours a week, thanks to Obamacare.

Employees will work 1560 hours annually, not counting paid days off for holidays & vacations & possibly sick pay. I am referring to jobs that basically require no skills and no education.

Increase in earnings: 30 hours a week at $2.85==$4446.00 annually. Add to that the 7.65% payroll burden, state & Federal unemployment money, and workmen’s comp costs.

This could easily add up to 40% or more of a ‘burden’ on this payroll increase. Using 40%, this adds another $,778.40 to the cost of each employee, or $1778.40. This adds up to a total of $6224.40 per employee.

Since there are 12 employees, the annual increase in expenses to this company P/L ==$74,692.80.

I don’t know a huge number of companies who have an extra $74,692.80 in their profits to pay this increase.

IF this company has to pay these increases, then I suggest that this company will not be paying a single penny in income taxes in the coming years. The owner may have to DECREASE his income to pay such monies out to low skilled employees. There is another loss of income taxes for the Feds & states.

The employees also will NOT pay any income taxes because they are still below the ‘poverty line’ established by the Federal government.

NOW—neither of these entities will pay any income taxes & the income taxes formerly paid by the middle income owner of this company will be gone forever. Less money will be sent to both Federal & State coffers.

The employee will still be eligible for many Federal & State welfare programs, since they are still below ‘the poverty line’. There will be NO savings there.

More pressure is placed upon an employer, and he may be forced to lay off a number of persons, downsize, and even close his business. Not easy to find a buyer, since the new buyer will also have to pay such an increase in minimum wage.

I am not even including calculations for the cost to the business for Obamacare. Perhaps Obama thinks that an additional $85.50 a week will allow the employee to pay Obamacare directly, and he thinks that is a win for him. I point out that such increase isn’t enough to take this employee off the SUBSIDIES the Federal government is giving to Obamacare recipients are now getting.

On top of all of what I have calculated here, someone needs to think about how such an increase will impact most of the union contracts in the USA.

Obama says that this will all HELP the middle class.

I don’t know what his people are using for calculations, but I don’t see any improvement for the middle class here. He ends up punishing the owner for providing 12 jobs.

I see another increase in UNEMPLOYMENT. Since these would be NEW persons drawing unemployment, he would have to have his staff TWIST all THOSE numbers even further.

So, Mike Lee, do your own calculations & find out what I am talking about.

Although B. Hussein Obama has an aversion to taking credit for his abundant failures, lies, and criminal acts, B. Hussein did a credible job of describing just what his failures were in last nights State of the Obamanation Failed Union Speech.

B. Hussein waxed eloquent on his description of how the Keynesian Prime the Pump stimulus theory of economics has failed without ever mentioning Keynes, or economic stimulus.

It was a masterful slight of hand speech, worthy of B. Husseins reputation as a consummate lying, con-artist, (pardon the redundancy).

Now that Commie Obama has been forced to admit that Communism (Mandatory Universal Federal Medical Insurance Tax, aka Obamacare), Economic Stimulus, Fed-controlled low interest rates, and Constitutional violations have made the last 5 years a living Hell for The Middle Class in America, the question I have is as follows:

Who in the RINO Wing of the Republican Party has learned NOT to repeat what B. Hussein has proven for 5 years to be failed Federal Government policy?

I thought she was wanting. She came across as a neighborhood gab who wanted to talk about herself. She said there were Republican plans but was unable to articulate them. The best to be said is maybe the GOP didn’t give plans to her and she was left holding the bag. If she was 4th in the leadership, I wonder who was 5th.

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